Technical Field
The present invention relates to a gaming machine and, in particular, relates to a gaming machine that rearranges symbols in each unit game, in the process of which the manner of scrolling the symbols is changed.
Background Art
Each time a unit game starts in a gaming machine in response to the game player's operation of an operating part such as a set of buttons disposed on a control panel, the gaming machine scrolls symbols to rearrange a part of the symbols in a display area. If a winning pattern is made in the display area after the rearrangement, the player gains a benefit (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,048).
Considering diverse tastes of players, various gaming machines have been developed. For example, gaming machines different in symbol pattern, game scenario, presentation performances (by sound, image, or reel action) have been developed. Gaming machines that offer a bonus game or a free game under predetermined conditions have also been developed (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,508,345 and 7,942,733).
In typical, presentation performances by image are provided by a liquid crystal display device. Scrolling symbols may be performed by so-called video reels or by mechanical reels which are made of annular reel strips with symbols thereon.
The mechanical reels are reels with symbols thereon to be rotated mechanically; the manner to rearrange the symbols tends to be monotonous compared with video reels that display symbols on a liquid crystal display device.